The present invention relates to an angle adjustment mechanism for an implement mounted on a vehicle, and more particularly to means for adjusting the blade of a bulldozer or the like about the vertical axis of the blade.
The angle adjustment mechanism of the present invention will be described herein with reference to bulldozers having a generally vertical blade, however it is understood that the angle adjustment mechanism of the present invention may also be utilized for manually adjusting the angled position of various vehicle mounted implements. The blade of the present commercial angling bulldozer is generally supported on a U or C-shaped frame. The blade is pivotally or universally supported at the forward end of the dozer on the midportion of the frame. The frame extends generally horizontally on opposed sides of the dozer and is pivotally supported on the dozer at its opposed ends as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,943,407 of Long, assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Manually adjustable bulldozer blades are generally provided with posts or apertures in the side portions of the frame and the struts pivotally supporting the sides of the blade are secured to one of these connectors. The blade angle is adjusted by releasing the struts, rotating the blade about its vertical axis by engaging the ground or an obstacle, and securing the struts to different connectors on the side frame members.
The prior art also includes a number of manual angle adjustment mechanisms having slide members mounted on rails extending along the side portions of the frame. The slide members are interconnected to the sides of the blade by struts and turnbuckles, and the blade may be angled by extending one slide member forwardly and the opposed slide member rearwardly. The slide members are fixed at predetermined locations on the rails by anchor pins or the like. Examples of prior art manual adjustment mechanisms include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,628,612, 3,656,559, 3,662,838 and 4,217,963.
As set forth in the disclosures of the above referenced prior art patents, it is often difficult to manually adjust the angled position of the blade because the blade must be accurately aligned to secure the blade in position or the anchor pins may bind and become locked in position. The solution to these problems suggested by the prior art require complicated assemblies, including multiple anchor pins for each slide member. The angle adjustment mechanism of the present invention solves these problems, without complicating the assembly, at minimal cost.